E-6000 Glue (Review)

Put the hot glue gun back in the craft bin, put the Gorilla Glue back in the tool box, and put the Super Glue back in the junk drawer……………..enter E-6000!

I came across this glue a few years back when I decided to stop using hot glue for my art projects – I wanted to start getting more serious and professional about my artwork and move from “display only” mode to “sell-worthy” mode. Walking down the glue isle at Michael’s Arts and Crafts, I saw a little grey 2 ounce bottle of glue with the words E-6000 written down the front of the tube, and the inconspicuous word “Amazing” elegantly written above. I thought, “So how amazing could this stuff really be?” And like fate, at that exact moment a Michael’s store employee walked right by me and said, “Are you looking for glue? I have that E-6000 – It’s amazing!” (Ok…so maybe I’m embellishing the story a bit – blame the artist’s imagination in me – but this glue really is great!)

Amazing E-6000 is a industrial strength glue but also works wonderfully on things as delicate as a feather . It bonds well to just about any surface you can think of, including: wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, ceramics, leather, fabric, and much more. Just about the only thing it is not compatible with is Styrofoam (polystyrene, polyethylene or polypropylene plastics) – I have tried it just for kicks on Styrofoam, and E-6000 pretty much melts and eats right through it.

It is a flowy maple syrup consistency right out of the tube and gets tackier the longer it is exposed to air. The glue is clear, and it remains clear and glossy even after curing, which takes between 8-72 hours depending upon your project and the amount you use.

Yes, my tube of E-6000 has had its fair share of wear and tear

Anyhow, I have been using E-6000 glue for the past 5 years or so and, in my opinion is one of the best glues out there on the market for artists and crafters. Here are a few reasons why:

Pro’s:

It is good for your small, delicate projects or crafts – I mostly use this glue for mounting my spacers to the back of my feather paintings, and then my spacer to my mat boards, but I often use it for bead work as well (using very small seed beads). And you don’t have to worry about burning yourself with a hot glue gun or accidentally gluing your fingers together with super glue when doing very small detailed work. And it remains clear and doesn’t get cloudy or yellow like some other glues do after they have cured over time – so a little overflow is nothing to be afraid of. (And just a tip – Although they sell it with a fine applicator nozzle, I find that squirting a small amount of E-6000 out onto a piece of cardboard and then taking a toothpick or pin to be able to apply it in smaller amounts works very well, if not better.)

E-6000 on the end of a toothpick

It is acid-free – So it is safe to use on art projects and photographs.

It is strong and permanent – Like it says, it is industrial strength, so you can rest assured that your projects are going to stay put for the long haul.

It does not expand while drying – Now some people like glues that expand because they need to accommodate for gaps within their projects, but being a detailed-oriented artist where I often use my glue in conspicuous places – the last thing I need to worry about is an oozy yellow foam monster seeping out from behind my project…

It is paintable – So if you need it to match a surrounding area, camouflage away!

It has about a 5-7 minute “set” time – Having a small window of time to readjust things as needed is always a plus. Unlike hot glue which sets in about 10 seconds, you can now take a minute or two to make sure everything is “just right” and placed exactly where it should be. (Now that is not to be confused with the total drying/curing time, which I find is about 8-12 hours for small applications, 12-24 hours for medium sized applications, and about 24-72 hours for thick and heavy applications for large projects such as repairing furniture or something similar)

It’s flexible – Do you crack under pressure? Well E-6000 doesn’t! After curing it doesn’t turn as hard as a rock, which is great in my opinion – it retains a slight rubbery-like consistency which in turn increases it’s durability. Now don’t be alarmed – things wont be wiggling around by any means.

It is dishwasher and washer/dryer safe(waterproof) – This has nothing to do with art, but it was a good point to include. So for those of you that are repairing broken dishes and hemming a pair of jeans - this is the glue for you.

It is non-flammable(after it has cured): This is especially important if you will be using it to repair clothing and such.

Cons:

Fumes – and this is a big con for some people. Now there is a reason that there is a whole host of warnings on the back label regarding the fumes (and for some reason – warnings about not ingesting the product….why people haven’t figured out to not eat glue by now is beyond me….) – I can see how the fumes can be strong, but I have to be quite honest and say that I don’t notice them much, but then again, I only use this glue 5-10 minutes at a time. I think a good rule of thumb that we can all agree on: You shouldn’t use large amounts of this glue for extended periods of time in a contained environment that is not well ventilated.

Similar to hot glue it can be a bit stringy when applying – Now this is only a minor problem that occurs on occasion for me. But I find that after you have applied a dot of glue with the tube’s nozzle or a toothpick, lifting your applicator and rotating it to wrap up the small stringy bit (much like you would with spaghetti noodles on a fork) works well. But again, this only occurs some of the time.

“Stringiness”

Now they sell this stuff in different size tubes: 1oz, 2oz, 3.7oz, and a large 10.2 oz cartridge. I have found that my 2 ounce tube has lasted me several years – a little goes a long way. And if this will be your first time using the stuff, I’d recommend trying out a small tube first to see if you like it – but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. These tubes range in price from a couple dollars all the way up to about $10 for the 10.2 oz. Amazon.com sells them for a pretty cheap price – click here to read more E-6000 reviews on Amazon.com.

I give this stuff a 4.5 out of 5 stars. And it is definitely on my “All-Time Favorite Things List”!

So what project are you planning on using your E-6000 on? Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below!

27 Responses to E-6000 Glue (Review)

I am recovering an ottoman – replacing the fabric with leather. I haven’t used the E6000 on leather before but have used it on practially every other kind of craft material. So far it seems to be working well. I LOVE the stuff!

LOVE this glue. I do glass flowers from dishes bought at thriftstores and the E6000 does a wonderful job. I do buy it in the cartridge for my caulkgun. I have arthritis in my hands and this makes it so easy. Also I bought a case so the cartridges ended up cheaper then the tubes. I saw a videio on YOU Tube for using small amounts…squeeze some into a smal plastic type sandwhich bag (even smaller than that) and you have like a pastry tube set up and can manipulate a smaller amount alot easier without a mess. I highly reccomend this product. I do not notice the fumes but i am in an open garage..doors and windows open and a fan going….when winter hits I will have to bundle up!!!!

Hi Karson. I would definitely test a small area first just to make sure it wont eat through the polyester. But since it is just a Halloween costume (I assume for a one or two-time use?), I would recommend fabric glue for that. Hot glue may work too, but again, I would test out a small area to make sure the heat wouldn’t melt the polyester. I will be using glue in our Halloween costumes as well, but since there will be no long-term use for these outfits, we may just end up using Elmer’s glue of fabric glue. Let me know how it all turns out!

Thanks for the informative review. So, when you say it’s flexible when set, do you think it would work for keeping together a glasses frame hinge? I’m going to try it anyway because I can’t do without glasses and can’t order another pair until next week, but was wondering what you thought. I considered a hot mail bubble but now am wondering if I could ensconce the hinge in a bubble of E6000, instead? I say that because the area of contact is very small. Or is this a lost cause . . . Thanks for any help.

I have been using e6000 on polymer clay. I t gets messed up and I do not know how to clean it up. Do you know the best way to clean it up or dissolve is? I sure would appreciate any help you can give me

Ventilation is definitely important with this glue. If I’m going to be using a lot of it, I try and stay in our garage with the garage door open. If it will be a small application that will only take a minute, our laundry room has an exhaust fan that blows the air outside, so I’ve done some smaller jobs in there. I don’t normally wear a mask when using it, but if I were going to be using it for more than 10 minutes, I would recommend a mask, or proceed with caution.

Will It Withstand high temps? I want to make a project with this glue. Bonding glass together. But the project i’m making involves fire on glass. Will this glue melt? Or will it stay together and keep the glass nice and sealed?

I’m not happy with it. I used it years ago when I worked as a seamstress at a dancewear business and wasn’t happy. I couldn’t remember why, so I bought some more recently. It dries rubbery and doesn’t hold onto plastic bead wire. I don’t know if I’m just tugging too hard or what, but the wire slips even after the 72 hour wait time. I also recently bought glass art beads in which the loop was obviously stuck into the bead hole and glued with this stuff. The metal loops pulled right out with minimal tugging. I just don’t get it. In my opinion, superglue or mechanical fastening is the way to go for beading applications.

I bought a dream catcher and one of the feathers has come unglued. I need to glue the duck feather to the leather that is wrapped around the frame. I can’t reach the vendor. The glue on the rest of the piece is clear, and has some ‘give’ to it. Can you help me?

When it comes to dream catchers, leather, and light-weight feathers, you could use anything from hot glue to craft/tacky glue, or E6000. I find that all of them work quite well since I have had to glue a few back together myself. If you want something that will hold forever, then I recommend the e6000 – the only drawback is that it takes a while to cure, so you’ll have to hold it in place somehow for 5-10 minutes until it sets in the position you want, then leave along to let fully dry.

It will work, BUT, it definitely has a “fumey” smell that lingers for a while when dried that cab be irritating or potentially toxic. I might use a less harsh glue if it is going to be near your face. Maybe try super glue? Gorilla Super glue would work great for gluing sunglasses!